Positive action does not mean, as some people imagine, the passive and inactive way of life. Basically, positive action and attitude is all about deriving a solution from the core of the problem, finding a way where there is apparently no way and having a larger ground of thought where common person is stuck with narrow one. In short, positive attitude leads a person to self-control, calmness and hope, and a person with positive attitude keeps working for a better solution and brighter future always.
In the Islamic tradition, so many Muslims down through the centuries have reflected and commented on the benefits to humankind of God’s sending Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him!)How their positive behavior and attitude changed the attitude of the disbeliever, I cannot hope to address all that has been written on the subject but will limit myself to a few remarks on what Said Nursi has had to say in the Risale-i Nur about positive action from the perspective of the Prophetic Tradition.
Prophet Muhammmad (Peace be upon him) bring to mankind God’s teaching on people’s duties toward God, toward their neighbor, and towards themselves. In other words, the Prophetoffers God’s guidance on how people should behave and how society should be structured. Thus, the Prophet teach that people should approach God humbly, recognizing each one’s limitations of knowledge, strength, and goodness, and serve God as a faithful servant which is basically through positive action and attitude. This is what the Qur’an means by saying that believers should be “guided by God-given morals.”
The fragrance of this sense of positive attitude comes from the sacred life of Prophet Muhammmad (Peace be upon him). He started his mission of Islam in the worst situation and faced the hardest kind of difficulties but not for a single moment he lost his hope or succumbed to the circumstances. He came out from his house in the night of migration to Medina alone whereas an armed bunch of youth from the different clans of the Quraish were surrounding his house to assassinate him in one go. He was not afraid when the enemies reached the cave “Thaur”. He was not frightened even when Suraqa came close to him in order to attack at him. Instead, he was very much calm and confident, and was heading to his destination. The Prophetic Traditions also reflect the very nature of positive action of the
Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) is the final prophet who brought the complete and perfect message of the Qur’an, so that by following the Qur’an and the Hadithsof Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) Muslims live according to the shari’a or Islamic way of life. It is this second phrase of the shahada, Muhammadunrasulullah that distinguishes Muslims from other monotheists, such as Jews and Christians, who with Muslims affirm la ilahaill’Allah
The mission of Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him), was described by God as follows, “O Prophet, indeed We have sent you as a witness (Shahid) and a bringer of good tidings (Basheer) and a warner (Nazeer). And one who invites to Allah (Daee), by His permission, and an illuminating lamp (SirajanMunira)” [Al-Ahzab 33:45-46].
Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) was a beacon of hope for those around him. His ever-beaming smile would exude optimism. His words, whether of warning or of good news, inspired positive action
As per the life and works of Said Nursi, the methods that Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) used in spreading his cause and mission will prove to be effective if we can apply them successfully to provide sustainable solutions for mankind’s problems.
He rewarded and appreciated positive behaviors and attitude to promote the development of peace and happiness, both in this world and the hereafter, for Muslims and for humanity as a whole.
If we want to lead people to behave positively and prevent them from acting badly, the safest way to do this is to reward and appreciate positive action. To be loved and appreciated is what people crave.
Ibn Abbas (May Allah please with him) tells: “One day I prepared some water in a pot so that the Prophet could perform ablution. When the Prophet saw the pot, he asked who had prepared it. Once he learned that it was me who had prepared it, he prayed for me, “O Allah! Increase his understanding in religion”. (Bukhari, Invitation, 19)
The Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) was sent to promote good morality. His words of advice were reflected from Allah who is the Compassionate as a reflection of mercy, thus, he would say good words and commit good deeds. He knew that evil words blemish the heart, and evil in the heart reflects upon the soul. For this reason, he never said an evil word to friend or foe. Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) would not speak in a way that would break anybody’s heart. When he was treated badly, he did not take it personally and he generalized it and then corrected it. When someone complained to him about someone, or he saw a fault in someone, he did not fling the fault in the agent’s face.
When we consider the life and practices of the Prophet (Peace be upon him), we see that if we apply his lofty methods when we are in a difficult position, the problems will be solved, our paths will be illuminated, and we will easily see the farthest horizons. If we avoid practicing these methods just through negligence, we will be the losers. It is a big mistake to consider them unimportant. Those who make the methods of the Prophet into good habits for themselves will find that they act straightforwardly and become successful.
The proper approach to Islam is within a paradigm in which the proper perspective with regards to the nature of the Divine and the concept of happiness in Islam is embraced. In understanding happiness in Islam, it is important to remember that human beings were created ultimately for happiness and joy, for peace and prosperity. The goal of Islam is ultimately the attainment of, or awakening to, “Paradise.” The entirety of God’s divine mercy, light and guidance, as well as the prophethood and mission of the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him), is but for this purpose.
Islam is for the attainment of happiness, joy, satisfaction and eternal bliss and serenity. And so, the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him), who from birth cried, “My nation, my nation!”, seeking to guide and direct to that which leads to happiness in Islam, is referred to as Rahmatanlil-‘Alameen, “A mercy to the worlds.”
Our external life circumstances and conditions are but a reflection of our inner states of being. The way to change is through the power of positive action and positive thinking.
Positive Thinking + Positive Action = Positive Results
It can even be said that happiness in Islam is the very purpose of religion. And the path to happiness in Islam, as taught by the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him), is through growth and personal evolution. Thus, we should nourish our mind with positive and illuminating thinking and attitude. Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) said that “an hour of contemplation is more valuable than seventy years of worship.” The meaning of which is “An hour’s reflective thought is better than a year’s [supererogatory] worship”1 states that on occasion an hour’s reflectionmay be equivalent to a year’s worship. It also offers powerful encouragement for reflective thought.1
It is important to emphasize that Said Nursi was deeply committed to Islam and its main sources, the Qur’an and Hadith. Nursi specified “three great and universal things which make known” God to human beings; the universe, the Prophet, and the Qur’an.2 On one account he adds a fourth, namely conscience.3 Focused on these channels, the primary purpose of his writings is to cultivate faith and prove its vitality for human happiness both for the worldly life and in the hereafter.
In Islam, worship is not only understood in its formal forms of prescribed prayers, fasting, or giving charity. Pondering on God’s creation and the channels of His revelations, pursuing knowledge to gain better insights of His names, and having reflective thought about his creation are all considered within the range of worship. As Nursi calls it that would be “worship in the form of reflection.”4 Relating the importance of contemplation to the very sources of the religion, Nursi states:
My heart combined with my mind and urged me to the way of reflective thought which the Qur’an of Miraculous Exposition commands with such verses as,
That you may consider.(2:219; 2:266) * Perchance they may reflect.(7:176, and so on) * Do they not reflect in their own minds, did God create the heavens and the earth?(30:8) * There are signs for those who consider.(13:3, and so on)
Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) has reported that Allah (SWT) said: “I treat my servant as how he thinks of Me” (Hadith- Bukhari/ Muslim). In other words, Allah (SWT) treats His servant in the way how he thinks of Allah (SWT), what he hopes from and how he sets his hopes on Allah (SWT). So, those who come positive and with a great hope to the door of Mercy of the Almighty Creator will surely not return empty-handed.
The most powerful weapon you have at your disposal is positive action but we need to use it and use it often. The basis of positive action is to lift us and situations to Allah (SWT) an inner act of visualisation. A further step is to contemplate on our beautiful teachings of Islam this involves controlling and directing out thoughts. A simple way to think of this is to imagine your mind to be like a garden. That garden can be spoilt and overrun by negative, destructive thoughts (weeds), or it can become a place of peace and harmony by the cultivation of flowers (uplifting thoughts) which is also the teachings of Said Nursi.
Nursi states that despite the awesome destruction in the universe of devils from among jinn and men, and the varieties of unbelief, misguidance, evil, and destruction they perpetrate, just as they do not interfere one iota in creation, so too they can have no share in Divine sovereignty. And they do not carry out those works through any power or ability; rather than power and action in many of the things they do, it is neglect and abstaining from action. They commit evils through not allowing good to be done, that is, they become evil. For since bad and evil are a sort of destruction, their causes do not have to be an existent power and active creativity. Rather, vast destruction comes about through one command pertaining to non-existence and one condition being spoilt.
It is because the Zoroastrians did not develop this mystery that they believed that there was a creator of good in the universe, called Yazdan, and a creator of evil, called Ahriman. However, the imaginary god of evil they called Ahriman was Satan, who causes evil through the power of choice and the power to act, which possess no ability to create.
And so, O people of belief! Your most effective weapon and equipment for repairs in the face of this awesome destruction of Satan is seeking forgiveness from God, and through saying, “I seek refuge with God,” to have recourse to Him. And your stronghold is the Practices of the Prophet (PBUH).5
According to a noble Hadith of Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him, noxious and awesome persons like Sufyan and the Dajjal will come to rule over the godless at the end of time, and exploiting the greed, discord and hatred amongst the Muslims and mankind, they will need only a small force to reduce humanity to anarchy and the vast world of Islam to slavery.
O people of faith! If you do not wish to enter a humiliating condition of slavery, come to your senses and enter and take refuge in the citadel of:
Indeed the believers are brothers,6
to defend yourselves against those oppressors who would exploit your differences! Otherwise you will be able neither to protect your lives nor to defend your rights. It is evident that if two champions are wrestling with each other, even a child can beat them. If two mountains are balanced in the scales, even a small stone can disturb their equilibrium andcause one to rise and the other to fall.
So O people of belief! Your strength is reduced to nothing as a result of your passions and biased partisanships, and you can be defeated by the slightest forces. If you have any interest in your social solidarity, then make of the exalted principle of “The believers are together like a well-founded building, one part of which supports the other”your guiding principle in life! Then you will be delivered from humiliation in this world and wretchedness in the hereafter.7
The literal meaning of ‘positive’ (müsbet) is ‘established,’ ‘proved,’ ‘affirmed.’ In the meaning of ‘positive’ it bears also the meaning of ‘repairing’ or ‘constructive.’ Negative, however, means destructive.The mind can be directed towards positive thinking or negative thinking. The power of thought is a neutral power. The way one thinks determines whether the results are positive and beneficial or negative and harmful. It is the same of energy acting in different ways. Persistent inner work can change habits of thoughts. You must be willing to put energy and time to avoid negative thinking and pursue positive thinking, in order to change your mental attitude. Think of those things which are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, in other words, to fill your mind with noble, good thoughts, leaving no room for negative ones to take root.
Nursi held a special place among these great persons, and manifested to a high degree the meaning of the Hadith: “Scholars are the heirs of the prophets.” 8Positive thinking and positive action are essential feature of all prophetictraditions. A thorough study of historical sources on Prophet Muhammad’s life reveals his dedication to thinking and acting positively. The strength of Prophet Muhammad’s message, which transformed Arabia, was due to his way of life. His actions were exemplary in every respect and always came prior to his words. Thus, the core of all Prophetic traditions are positive thinking and positive action which is the essence of all sunnah or strategic sunnah.
Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon himforged a path that was not based on revenge or acceptance. His goal was to revive people, not to kill them.9 the key to the Prophet’s success lies not only in his preachingbut notably in the exemplary character of his life. The aim of positive thought and action is to win over hearts and minds, thereby, he took the middle way with his positive practices. With a great mission in hand, Prophet Muhammad had to serve as a role model 10 for not only his people, but for all humanity. He came from an honoured tribe and was respected throughout Makkah prior to and even during his prophethood, yet he underwent such horrendous acts to his people, his family and his Companions, that it is difficult to conceive how he could have responded in the manner he did.11
Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him), who was sent as a mercy to all the worlds, did not curse those who stoned him at Ta‘if wounding him in one hundred and fourteen places; with his wondrous compassion he prayed for their guidance, saying: “O my Sustainer! They do not know what they are doing.” His heir this terrible century, Bediuzzaman, took the same path and said the following:
“Due to the compassion which is the basis of my way and that of the Risale-i Nur and which has been a principle of my life for the past thirty years, so that no harm will come to any innocents, I do not respond with curses even to the criminals who persecute me, let alone bother them.”12
In another of his writings, he describes how he and his students had suffered various torments and undergone severe tests:
“Our duty towards them is only to seek their guidance. I recommend that none of my students should nurture the very slightest desire for revenge against those who have oppressed and tortured them; in the face of them, they should work loyally and with constancy for the Risale-i Nur.”13
Another important matter on which the great Regenerator of religion dwelt in respect of positive action was the securing of peace and harmony between the Muslims who serve Islam by different methods. He repeatedly stressed this important point and exerted himself so that difference of ways should not lead to conflict. These are the first three of nine ‘commands:’ of Said Nursi.
“1. To act positively, that is, out of love for one’s own outlook, avoiding enmity for other outlooks, not criticizing them, interfering in their beliefs and sciences, or in any way concerning oneself with them.
“2. To unite within the fold of Islam, irrespective of particular outlook, remembering those numerous ties of unity that evoke love, brotherhood and concord.
“3. To adopt the just rule of conduct that the follower of any right outlook has the right to say, ‘My outlook is true, or the best,’ but not that ‘My outlook alone is true,’ or that ‘My outlook alone is good,’ thus implying the falsity or repugnance of all other outlooks.”14
The last ‘ders’ (instruction) Said Nursi gave the Risale-i Nur Students before his death
My Dear Brothers!
Our duty is to act positively; it is not to act negatively. It is solely to serve the cause of belief in accordance with Divine pleasure, and dot interfere with God’s concerns. We are charged with responding with patience and thanks to every difficulty we may encounter in the positive service of belief, a consequence of which is the preservation of public order and security.
Taking myself as an example I say: formerly I never bowed before tyranny or humiliating treatment. Numerous events established that I could never endure to be treated in that way. For example, not rising to my feet before the Commander-in-Chief in Russia, and my giving no importance to the pashas’ questions in the Military Court even when under threat of execution, as well as my attitude to four commanders, all show that I never bowed before tyranny. But these last thirty years, for the sake of acting positively and not acting negatively and not interfering in God’s concerns, I have responded with patience and resignation to all the treatment I have received, I have met it with patience and resignation like Jarjis (St George) (Upon whom be peace) and those who suffered the extreme difficulties of the Battles of Badr and Uhud.
Yes, for example, I did not even curse a public prosecutor whose eighty-one errors I had proved in court, as a result of whose false accusations the decision was taken against us. For the essential matter at this time is ‘jihad of the word.’ 5 It is to form a barrier against the moral and spiritual (mânevî) destruction, and to assist internal order and security with all our strength.
Yes, there is a power in our way, but this force is for preserving public order. According to the principle of No bearer of burdens can bear the burden of another 16the brother, family, or children of a criminal cannot be held responsible for him. It is because of this that throughout my life I have endeavored with all my strength to maintain public order. This force may not be employed internally, but only against external aggression. Our duty in accordance with the above verse is to assist the maintenance of internal order and security with all our strength. It is for this reason that within the Islamic world there have been very few civil wars damaging public order. And those have arisen from differences in interpretation of the Law. The most important condition of ‘jihad of the word’ is not interfering in God’s concerns; that is: “Our duty is to serve; its results are Almighty God’s concern. We are charged with carrying out our duty, and are obliged to do so.”
Like Jalaluddin Kharazmshah, I have learnt from the Qur’an to say: “My duty is to serve religious belief; it is Almighty God’s concern whether or not He gives it success,” and to act with sincerity.
External aggression may be met with force, for the enemy’s possessions and dependents are like booty. But this is not the case internally. Internal action is to act in accordance with the true meaning of sincerity in positive, non-physical (mânevi) fashion against the moral and spiritual (mânevî) destruction. External and internal jihad are completely different. Almighty God has now given me millions of true students, but internally, we shall only act positively to maintain public order and security. The difference at this time between internal and external jihad is truly great.17
Said Nursi always acted positively and was severly opposed to every sort of negative action. Of course it has not been possible in a single paper to describe as it deserves the positive action that was the unchanging principle of his fruitful life from the perspective of prophetic tradition. It will see more clearly on studying the entire life of that great guide, together with the one hundred and thirty parts of the Risale-i Nur Collection, which he offered for the benefit of entire mankind.
FOOTNOTES
1. Nursi, The Flashes, 378.
2. The Words, Nineteenth Word, p. 243.
3. Mesnevi-i Nuriye, Nokta, p. 208–215.
4. Nursi, The Words, 465.
5. The Flashes / The Thirteenth Flash – p.106-107
6. Qur’an, 49:10.
7. Letters/ Twenty – Second Letter – First Topic- p.319-320
8. al-‘Ajluni ,Kashf al-Khafa’, No: 1745.
9. FethullahGulen, The Messenger of God: Muhammed, http://fgulen.com/en/fethullah-gulens-works/faith/prophet-muhammad/24808-a-general-evaluation-of-his-military-achievements
10. Qur’an 33:21
11. İbn Sa’d, Tabaqâtü’l-Kübrâ,(Beirut, 1957 )v. 3,pp. 233, Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, Musnad, (Egypt, 1954)v. 1, pp. 404
12. Nursî, Bediüzzaman Said, Sualar, Envar Nesriyat, 372.
13. Emirdag Lahikasi , ii, 80-1.
14. Lem’alar, 151 / The Flashes Collection, 203.
15. Turkish: cihad-ımânevî, which may also be translated as ‘moral jihad’ or ‘non-physical jihad.’ [Tr.]
16.
17. (in Jihad of the word and positive action : Bediuzzaman Said Nursi’s interpretation of Jihad in the modern age. Istanbul: Sözler Publications.)